A Different Picture
by elliejelliebean
Summary: Harry Potter thought that he knew his parent's story. Lily had befriended Snape, and had turned to James after Snape turned to the dark arts. The story was complete. But what if something was missing from that story? Something that changed everything?
1. Prologue: The Wedding

A/N: Just to clear up any confusion, yes, this is a Lily/James fic; this is just the prologue, which centers around Harry. The actual Lily/James story will begin next chapter.

Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the author. I am merely the overly-obsessed reader.

* * *

**A Different Picture**

Full Summary:

When Harry Potter dove into Severus Snape's memories at age 17, he thought that he had learned the full story of his parents' relationship. It all made sense: Snape had loved Lily and that's why James hated him, and Lily had turned to James after Snape turned to the Dark Arts. The missing pieces in the puzzle were found, and the picture was complete.

But what if that picture was all wrong? What if there was actually even more to the story, even more pieces to the puzzle? And what if, when all of the pieces to the puzzle were found, a completely different picture was made?

Join Lily Evans and James Potter in the summer of 1977, as they discover tragic secrets and begin to unintentionally learn how to be there for each other.

* * *

_Prologue: The Wedding_

Harry Potter hadn't ever thought that he would see this day. In fact, there had been a time in his life when he was absolutely positive that he wouldn't. It was a little unnerving for him to stand there on the altar in the garden of the Burrow, clad in dress robes, when he himself had once thought it impossible.

The fact that it was now possible, that it was now actually _happening_, made Harry Potter very, very happy.

Harry's breath caught as Ginny appeared, in a white Muggle dress, at the end of the aisle, and he was sure that the same thing had just happened to every man in the room. She was so incredibly beautiful. It wasn't right. He didn't deserve her! He remembered how gorgeous Fleur had looked on her wedding day. _There's no competition_, Harry thought incredulously. Ginny was a thousand times more beautiful.

As Harry watched her approach, guided by a tearful Arthur Weasley, he didn't even stop to notice that the only ones on his side of the aisle were friends. Not a single blood relative was present. But it hardly mattered. He was getting a family now—he was getting Ginny! The thought made his heart want to explode through his chest.

He didn't even notice Petunia and Dudley Dursley silently make their way into the back row.

As the ceremony continued, words spoken long, long ago by Albus Dumbledore kept repeating themselves in Harry's mind. The pair had been standing in front of the Mirror of Erised, and Dumbledore had said softly to Harry:

"_The happiest man on earth would look into the mirror and see only himself, exactly as he was."_

Harry wished that he were in front of that mirror once more, for he was sure that if he looked in he would see a black-haired man with a radiant smile on his face, happily standing next to a beautiful redheaded woman in a white dress.

Had Harry looked into the mirror in that moment, he was pretty sure he would have seen himself, exactly as he was.

* * *

Several hours later, the reception was in full swing. After an extremely enjoyable round of toasts, Harry and Ginny had spent the reception, for the most part, being constantly cornered by well-wishers. Harry was pretty sure that he had talked with every single person present.

Ginny was in the bathroom, and he was feeling strangely lonely without her. He hoped that it was a good sign that he couldn't seem to stay away from her for more than a few seconds.

His eyes scanned the crowd, all laughing and talking.

There was Bill, sitting at a table and holding his daughter Victoire while he narrowed his eyes at Viktor Krum twirling Fleur around the dance floor.

Next to Bill were George and his wife Katie. Katie was roaring with laughter, which was not unusual when she was in George's presence, and George was smirking proudly while he talked, as if he knew that only he could make her laugh that way.

Luna was the last person sitting at the table, and she was gazing dreamily into space, her lips moving slightly as if she was mouthing the words to a song.

A little ways away from the table, Percy was standing with Penelope Clearwater at his side, chatting up the Minister of Magic Kingsley Shaklebolt, who looked like he desperately wanted to get away.

On the dance floor, Ron and Hermione were dancing together, and, from the looks of it, bickering, as usual. However, when Hermione's face began to grow dangerously red, Ron's face softened and he smiled. After saying something that appeared to calm her immensely, he placed a tender kiss on her lips, and all was forgiven.

Mrs. Weasley was just a few feet away from the dance floor, holding three-year-old Teddy Lupin and looking down at him lovingly. When she saw Harry looking at her, she looked significantly down at the baby boy, looked at Harry, and mouthed with a twinkle in her eye, "_Soon_". Harry blushed, smiled at her and looked down at his hands. He was silently agreeing.

Mr. Weasley was a little ways away from his wife, talking animatedly to Perkins, who was confined to a wheelchair. Together, they were curiously examining a bottle of Muggle Champaign, and, from the looks of it, trying to have a competition to see who could get the cork out without using magic. As Arthur Weasley picked a fork up off the table to try, Harry had half a mind to go and explain how to do it properly, but decided against it. _Let them have their fun_, he thought. He knew that Arthur would ask him later, anyway.

In fact, the only people in the room that didn't look as if they were enjoying the party were two blonde haired people that were sitting in the corner in stony silence. Harry's eyes widened in surprise. He had sent his Aunt Petunia an invitation, but hadn't really expected her to come. 

Harry was happy that they were there, but he knew that he would have to go and talk to them, and the thought didn't lighten his mood. Begrudgingly, he made his way over to them to get the awkward talk out of the way while Ginny wasn't there. He didn't want to spoil her day with talk of his unpleasant childhood.

As he approached, they looked up at him. Dudley wore a shy smile that Harry had never seen, and it complemented his looks. Harry noticed that Dudley wasn't at all the unattractive boy he used to be. He was still big and burly, like Uncle Vernon, but he wasn't overweight anymore. He was muscular, and healthy. His blonde hair was a pretty color, and his face was average-looking. He looked good.

Aunt Petunia was pursing her lips as always, but looking strangely nervous. At first he thought that she looked the same as she always had, but as he got closer he noticed the lines around her mouth and eyes and streaks of grey in her hair. She was almost an old lady now, and she looked like she was going to be the type of old bat that you didn't want to cross.

Harry pulled a chair out across from them and sat down. There were a few moments of awkward silence before Dudley spoke.

"Er, I guess congratulations are in order, Harry," he said with a kind grin, sounding more civilized than Harry had ever heard him.

"Thanks, Dudley," Harry said genuinely. He had always had a hatred of his cousin, but Dudley had been extremely decent to Harry before he left years ago, and he was certainly making an effort to be kind now. Harry supposed that Dudley really wasn't that bad. He would never enjoy the years he spent as Dudley's punching bag, but people could change.

"These people, here…this life you've made for yourself…it's good. It's cool that you did, Harry," he said.

Harry smiled at him. It was refreshing to see the light in Dudley's eyes that hadn't been there as a child. It gave Harry a strange kind of hope.

Dudley, who had, Harry noticed, been trying to catch the eye of Susan Bones, got up quite suddenly as she beckoned him over. "I'll catch up with you later, Harry, alright?" he asked.

"Sounds good," Harry said, and Dudley left.

It was suddenly just Aunt Petunia and Harry sitting at the table. Another awkward silence swept over them. Harry saw Ginny return. She scanned the crowd, no doubt looking for Harry, and eventually their eyes met. She saw that Harry was sitting with his aunt, and gave him a questioning look that Harry took to mean "Do you want me there?"

Harry smiled warmly at her and shook his head.

She nodded, and smiled back at him. Then she turned and pointed to a table on her right, indicating that that was where she would be.

Harry turned back at Aunt Petunia, and found her looking at Mrs. Weasley as she played with Teddy Lupin. Mrs. Weasley was in the middle of a peek-a-boo game, and Teddy could barely control his laughter.

Aunt Petunia turned away with a pained look in her eye and looked over at Ginny, who was now giggling with Hermione while Ron danced with little Victoire and Bill took his turn twirling Fleur around the dance floor.

"She's pretty," Aunt Petunia said suddenly, her eyes fixed on Ginny.

"Er, thanks, I guess," Harry said.

"You've done well for yourself, Harry," she said, looking directly into his eyes. Harry was momentarily paralyzed with shock. She had never done that before.

Harry nodded, momentarily unable to speak. She sighed.

"You've done well for yourself despite a terrible childhood. And I realize that that is my fault."

Harry nodded again, looking away. What she said was true; he wasn't going to lie to her to ease her guilty conscience. She was silent for a very long time, and when she spoke again, it was in an almost hysterical whisper.

"You have no idea how much I regret treating you that way, Harry. No idea."

Harry looked up to see her looking down at her hands, tears in her eyes.

"You must think me a terrible person, treating you so terribly all because of old animosity between me and Lily. I still can't believe I did it, carried a grudge with me from the time Lily was ten years old."

"Eleven," Harry automatically corrected. "We go to Hogwarts when we are eleven."

Aunt Petunia furrowed her brow. "I didn't mean the fight over Hogwarts…" she muttered, trailing off. Harry was instantly both confused and interested.

"Then what, Aunt Petunia? What did you mean?"

"I can't believe that you still don't know," she murmured, staring into space. "But then again, nobody…not even Vernon or Dudley or…" She took a shaky, steadying breath. When she spoke, her voice was trembling.

"Harry, I think it's time for me tell you about...about…I wouldn't tell you this, but I think you need to understand the real reason I hated your mother so much and the real reason I treated you the way I did, and I…I…I just think it's time." she took another deep breath. Harry could tell it was hard for her to say what she was about to say.

"It's time for me to tell you about Violet."


	2. Ch 1: A Very Interesting Summer

A/N: Here is the first chapter, the beginning of the real Lily/James story. And while I will try to update this story almost daily in the future, I am leaving for Europe today and might not be able to get another chapter to you all for quite some time. I'm sorry!

_Chapter 1: A Very Interesting Summer_

"Oh, come on, Evans," a seventeen-year-old James Potter pleaded as they exited the compartment. Lily Evans walked quickly, trying to avoid her always-present admirer, but, as always, he was but a step behind her. "Just say that you don't hate me. Tell me I'm at least making a little progress, here!"

She shot a death glare behind at him.

"You know it's true!" James insisted. "Just say it! Just say that you don't hate me. You may still find me a terribly annoying git, but please, as an end-of-the-year-gift, tell me that you no longer despise me. You have no idea the happiness that those four little words would give me! Of course, a different combination of three words would be even better, but I'm not pushing for that. Yet."

Sirius, who was walking with Remus and Peter a few feet behind James and Lily, shook his head and laughed softly. James was so hopeless. He was just about to comment on his best friend's idiocy when all of a sudden, James was thrust into the air by his ankle.

Everyone suddenly stopped. Lily turned around quickly, her red hair fanning out beautifully behind her and making James's heart beat just a little bit quicker, even if he was seeing it upside down.

Sirius quickly issued the countercurse and James was back on his feet. He and Sirius stood side by side, wands at the ready and in fighting stance. They faced a small, greasy-haired, hook-nosed boy with a mischievous glint in his eyes that was quickly clouded with the realization that he was about to get cursed into oblivion.

Lily silently grabbed James's arm. He turned to look at her and she raised one perfectly arched eyebrow. James took one look at her face and instantly looked defeated. He sighed and looked at ugly, greasy, pathetic little Snivellus.

"Padfoot," he said, his eyes still fixed on Snape, "let's go."

"But Prongs—" Sirius argued, looking pained.

"My parents are waiting, mate. Come on."

James turned and walked away from the scene, with Sirius incredulously following behind him. Lily stared after them, her stunning green eyes wide in surprise.

* * *

"James! Sirius!" a voice called. James turned to see his white-haired mother, positively beaming with happiness at the sight of him and wrapping him up in an enormous hug as soon as he was in reach. "My Jamesie! Oh, sweetie, it seems like it's been forever since we last saw you! Three months is much too long to keep you after Easter break, it really is…"

"Welcome home, son," Mr. Potter said with a smile that seemed to light up his handsome lined face.

"Oh, and Sirius!" Mrs. Potter exclaimed as she turned to Sirius and enveloped him in a hug as big as the one she had just given her own son. "It is just so absolutely wonderful to have you with us, darling. We are going to have such an exciting summer, just you wait!"

"Well, boys, if we just get our trunks here we can make our way to the car," Mr. Potter said, still alight with happiness.

"The car?" James asked from his mother's arms. "Why don't we just Apparate like usual? Or at least floo? It'll take forever to _drive_ home—"

"Adora," Mr. Potter said, "we might as well just tell them now."

"I guess you're right, Harold. Boys, your father and I have decided that…well…this summer, as a family - and that includes you, too, Sirius - we will be participating in a project."

James and Sirius exchanged frightened glances. Adora put a hand on each of their shoulders, a smile on her face.

"We will be living as Muggles for the entire summer. There's this wonderful new program, _Let's Appreciate our Gift—Immerse Yourself in the Muggle Lifestyle_. We have decided that it would be an absolutely wonderful thing for our family to do."

James looked shocked and terrified, and yet was not altogether surprised. His parents, highly respected retired Ministry of Magic Aurors, also had a little bit of a hippy side to them. They had spent two years travelling the world when they were young and were always doing crazy, revolutionary things like this. Their intentions were good, but that still didn't make James any happier about the fact that he wasn't allowed to use magic. "So you mean, Mum, that the first summer that Sirius and I would be able to do magic, we have to spend living like Muggles?"

"Yes, Dear, and I am so sorry. The timing is ever so unfortunate, I know. I'm sure you would rather spend your first summer as an adult exploring ways to use magic around the house. But it would mean a lot to your father and me if you would just participate. Exploration can wait for later."

"Do we at least get to carry a wand?"

"For safety purposes, yes, but really please try to never ever use magic. Okay, Darling?"

"Of course we won't," James said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The look on Adora's face was lovingly reprimanding. "But really, Mum. Why are you doing this?"

"It's a good thing to do, Jamesie, and it will be fun! The program involves getting Muggle jobs, living in a Muggle house, and socializing with Muggles. Your father and I have already gotten Muggle jobs and bought a Muggle house. At the end of the summer, we'll throw a party where only Muggles are invited. We'll serve Muggle food and play Muggle games! Oh, boys, it will be just divine! Trust me, you'll love it, and you'll learn so much!"

James looked at his dad, who was nodding encouragingly, and knew at once that it was hopeless to argue.

It was going to be a very interesting summer.

* * *

Lily dragged her heavy trunk through the station, looking for her parents. After ten minutes of searching, she saw her father, tall and unhealthy-looking with dirty blonde hair, staring off into space alone on Platform 8.

"Hi," she said to him, and one who knew her at school would notice how a little bit of the light left her eyes as she gazed upon her father.

"Hi," he responded, his voice monotone as always. He took her trunk from her and started walking briskly towards the exit. "How was school?"

"Fine," she responded automatically.

They walked in silence back to the car. Mr. Evans fiddled with the key to the driver seat door for a moment before climbing inside.

"Will you unlock—" Lily started.

"Yep," her father interrupted, and as the lock clicked she got in the car.

It was silent for the three-hour drive back home.

* * *

James waited by the middle-seat door as his father tried to get the key to work. His mother, who was waiting by the front seat door, smiled at him as their eyes met.

"I love you," she mouthed. Just then, Harold got the car unlocked and they got in. As they were pulling out of the King's Cross parking lot, she turned and smiled at James and Sirius. "I'm so happy you're home," she said, the corners of her lips pulling up in a delighted half-smile.

The thing that James loved most about his mother, even more than her adorably eccentric personality or her unexpected magical prowess, was how very loved she always made him feel.

* * *

Lily stared at her alarm clock. It was 12:00. She had to get to sleep soon. With a shaky sigh, she allowed the drowsiness to take over and sank into an un-satisfying, nightmare-filled sleep.


	3. Ch 2: McDonald's, Fate, and Bad Dreams

A/N: For my numerous, pathetic excuses as to my horrendous lack of updates, see my profile. For the next chapter, see below and I hope that you enjoy it very much. For my apologies to said lack of updates, look here: I am so, so, so, so sorry. I know that I waited an awful amount of time. But this chapter is extra long, no? :)

* * *

_Lily stared at her alarm clock. It was 12:00. She had to get to sleep soon. With a shaky sigh, she allowed the drowsiness to take over and sank into an un-satisfying, nightmare-filled sleep..._

_Chapter 2: McDonald's, Fate, and Bad Dreams_

The Potters were lost. According to Harold, it should have been a three hour drive to the new house.

They had been driving for six. The digital green numbers of the clock on the dashboard read 12:04.

"Harold, really," Adora said. "I don't understand why you won't stop and ask for directions!"

"I told you, Addy," he said. "Male muggles don't stop for directions. I saw it on a television show. They just don't. Some weird cultural custom—don't ask me!"

"It could have simply been that one man—"

"No, I'm positive that they said that men will never ask for directions. Something about pride or masculinity, I don't know, Dear."

"We could _just this once_—"

"Adora, I thought that we were committed to this! The whole point of this is appreciating how hard the Muggles have it without magic, and I think that this is a perfect learning opportunity!"

"I guess you're right, Honey. Perhaps James should look at the map for a while and try to make some sense of it? You know how good he is with that type of thing."

"Don't wake him up, Sweetheart. He's asleep."

"Not," came a voice from the back seat. "Too hungry to sleep," it said. "Can we _please_ stop?"

"Oh, Jamesie, don't you want to get home before nightfall?" Adora asked kindly.

"Must. Have . Food," Sirius croaked, his eyes still shut. James and Sirius were both sprawled out over the backseat, their eyes closed. They _had_ been sleeping, but both were woken up when James's stomach had growled loudly about ten minutes prior—the last time that they had eaten was lunch on the train, and even then all that they had was stupid special-effects candy.

"I don't think you understand, Mum. If I don't eat something in the next half hour, I _will_ die."

"Mmm," Sirius murmured his consent.

"Alrighty, then, boys, I guess we're on a new quest now!" Harold said excitedly. "What do you boys think—right, left, or straight up at this light?"

"Map, please," James said. And he and Sirius, with renewed vigor, began to search for the most likely place for a fast food restaurant.

* * *

Half an hour later, the Potters were full, happy, and making quite a scene in the sleepy McDonald's. Good-humored Mr. Potter, dressed in a basketball jersey tucked into Khaki pants with his pure white hair and beard, and loving Mrs. Potter, beautiful but almost elderly and dressed in an old crème sweater and overly flared orange pants, were loudly praising the food.

"This is the most delectable cuisine I have ever tasted!" Harold said loudly to the cashier kneeling at the counter with her head on her hands. "What do you call this?" He held up his hamburger.

She looked up at him like he was out of his mind. "That's a hamburger, honey," she said. "Is he driving tonight?" she asked Adora, looking honestly concerned. The Potters looked confused.

"Yes..." Adora answered heistantly, totally mystified.

James and Sirius, the two normal-looking people at the table, weren't paying attention. They were discussing possible pranking opportunities for the next year.

"No but think. Imagine Moony as Head Boy. We could get away with so much!" Sirius was saying.

"I dunno, Padfoot," James said. "I doubt Moony will get it—you know how temperamental he gets at his time of the month," they laughed quietly. It was a running joke between them—they were fairly sure that most people in their year thought that Remus was some freaky cross-dresser. "And you know Evans is gonna get Head Girl—she's bound to be brutal. There's just no way that next year's heads are going to be as cool as Frank and Alice."

Sirius sighed. "You're right, Prongs. We're just going to have to live up to the challenge."

They smiled devilishly.

"Well boys," Harold interjected. "Let's just make one quick stop at the toilets and then we'll be on our way!"

"I'm actually good," James said.

"Yeah, me too," Sirius added.

"I'll just stay here and pick up our trash, honey," Adora said.

"Alrighty, then! Just me!" Harold said as he walked jauntily off to the bathroom.

As soon as he was gone, they all three looked at each other. Adora began hesitantly.

"Should we—"

"Ask for directions?" James finished.

"Quickly, before he gets back?" Sirius added. Adora nodded her head.

"And I'll be happy to do the honors," Sirius said, looking at the pretty teenage cashier in approval.

The news was good—they were in Derbyshire, which was just to the southeast of Greater Manchester, their destination (Harold had been convinced that they were somewhere in Wales).

Within forty-five minutes, they passed a road sign. _Partington: 3 miles_ it said.

"Well, would you look at that!" Harold said. "We're nearly there!"

"Wait," James said. "This is where we're staying? This town?"

"Sure thing, son! Beautiful, isn't it? Look at those fantastic towers!" He said, pointing to the smoke stacks.

James remembered a day almost seven years ago, sitting in a train compartment with a bunch of children, three of whom, unbeknownst to him, would become very significant figures in his life.

"So where are you guys from?" he had asked. The redhead had answered.

"We're both from a place called Partington," she had answered. James remembered wondering how someone as angelic as she had come from the same city—no, country! that the other boy had.

Now he wondered how, of all of the places in the entire world, his parents had ended up settling _here_. _I must have done something right, _he found himself thinking incredulously.

But the cheesier, cornier, more romantic side of him whose existence he would never, ever, acknowledge (except _maybe_ to her) was rejoicing inside. He had always felt, ever since the age of eleven, a weird sort of knowledge that he and Lily Evans belonged together.

And that corny romantic side of him couldn't help but thinking that the world was righting itself, making two puzzle pieces that just _fit_ together somehow find each other among all of the rest.

Of course, he wasn't sure if she still lived here—a lot could happen in seven years. But somehow, he just _knew_. It was his damn romantic side again.

Sirius was looking at him incredulously. So he remembered, too? That surprised James. But then again, Sirius did have a knack for remembering the weirdest of all details, like the poem written on the door to Gringott's Wizarding Back or that there was a stain on the Gryffindor common room carpet for three weeks in their second year.

"It's fate," James said to him, grinning madly.

Outwardly, he had all the appearances of jest, but inwardly, he couldn't help but being kind of 100 percent serious.

* * *

_A woman lied on a towel on the beach. She was gorgeous, with vibrant red hair and sparkling green eyes you could get lost in. She looked happy—a smile pulled at the corners of her lips as she saw something in the water, lighting up her otherwise very calm face._

_The waves crashed in a steady, calming rhythm that looked as if it was slowly putting the smiling woman to sleep. She was nodding off, trying to keep her eyes open and failing miserably._

_The sky above her wasn't clear, nor was it stormy; it was covered in a blanket of grey clouds that weren't friendly or ominous. They were just clouds—very still, grey clouds. And the unusually calm sea was a darker shade of the same color grey, with small, three-foot waves that crashed once they reached the shore. A small breeze, barely noticeable, could be felt in the air. _

_The woman's eyes had completely closed when she heard a playful shriek coming from the water that looked to wake her slightly. She squinted, opening her eyes halfway, and saw three little girls on a small, circular raft close to the shore. The raft was barely big enough to fit all three of them, maybe four feet in diameter, and was sunshine yellow. The woman smiled again. _

_The first girl on the raft looked to be about fourteen, with strawberry blonde hair and very pretty features. She had the same green eyes as the woman on the beach, and they complemented her hair. She smiled as she splashed another of the girls._

_The second girl looked about twelve, with pretty blonde hair. She was good-looking, but definitely faded into the background when placed next to the two others. _

_Because the last and youngest was just as beautiful as the woman on the beach, if not more, with the same eyes and hair color as the woman. The girl was young—maybe ten, but you could tell that she would grow into a breathtaking young lady._

_The shriek had come from her—it was obvious. The eldest girl was splashing water on her, and she was smiling happily. The youngest girl turned and splashed the middle child, the blonde girl, who shrieked as well. _

"_Sissy, stop!" The girl yelled, but she was giggling._

_The girls continued to play in the water, and the sounds of laughter could be heard over the sounds of the crashing waves. The woman on the beach began to breathe evenly, her eyes closed. _

_Meanwhile, the sky was turning an ever darker shade of grey, and yet the sea stayed unusually calm. The girls talked happily while sitting together on the raft._

_Sometime later, the woman's eyes opened abruptly, and the scene she saw was far different than the one she had fallen asleep to. The sky was dark and cloudy, and rain looked as though it was minutes away from falling. The girls in the raft were much too far out to sea—much, much too far, and constantly drifting further. The woman's eyes filled with panic. _

"_Girls!" She yelled urgently. "Could you please come to shore, now?"_

_The girls climbed off the raft, ready to walk it back to shore. _

_Their feet didn't touch the bottom. _

_A distant rumble of thunder could be heard, and the girls, anxious now, held onto the raft, ready to swim back to shore together. They struggled against the sea, but were unsuccessful. They climbed back onto the raft._

_And, as the first, desperate tears fell from the youngest girl's eyes, tears fell from the sky as well. It was raining, and the raft was being pulled further and further out to sea…_

Lily Evans woke with a start. She sat up in her bed, breathing heavily, and put a hand to her cold face. It was wet; she had been crying while she slept. She closed her eyes and sighed internally. Why did she always have to visit that day in her dreams? Was it not bad enough that she relived it every time a Dementor was near?

Lily got out of bed warily and walked over to her window. The streets of her neighborhood were quiet as they always were on Saturday mornings, the rooftops kissed by the early-morning sunlight and the green blades of the just-watered grass glistening in a happy way. The houses were all the same, and Lily couldn't deny that the street, which was almost the definition of Suburbia, had a strange kind of beauty. Still, it was nothing like the majestic mountains and lakes she had woken up to the day before at Hogwarts, and she missed them.

Lily got dressed quickly, not even pausing to look at the clothes she randomly selected from her still-not-unpacked Hogwarts trunk. It was unlike her to leave the task of unpacking until later, but her trunk was her one connection to Hogwarts, and she was hesitant to store it away.

After Lily dressed, she sat on the edge of her bed. Her face was still damp; she hadn't completely dried it after she woke up. She had had the nightmare again. Her heart was still beating quickly from it and she felt jittery. It was a terrible way to wake up.

Lily walked over to her bedside table and opened the nearly-empty top drawer, taking out a small makeup bag. She walked over to the mirror above her dresser and emptied the contents onto the dresser's surface.

The bag wasn't filled with anything you might expect a normal teenage girl—even a wizard teenage girl—to have. It wasn't filled with any lipsticks or mascaras, or even the Witch Weekly recommended Forever Blush potion. It was simply filled with Chap Stick that looked to be several years old, facial powder and under-the-eye cream. Lily stared in front of the mirror applying the products. Like an expert, she dabbed and wiped until, after only about thirty seconds, she looked like she hadn't been crying.


	4. Ch 3: Fights and Sleeping on Tables

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to JaDe-ViPeR08, who basically left me a review that made me remember this story and how I actually kind of love it…it's one of my favorite plot bunnies that has been floating around in my head for ages. It's been there since the days of book 5, and, miraculously (it probably has something to do with my amazing prediction skillz lol), worked when books 6 and 7 revealed themselves. It's been a slow road, so far, and, in all honesty, will probably continue to be. But I would love it if you guys would stick around for this story—I'm hoping it'll turn into quite the ride. Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy.

* * *

_Like an expert, she dabbed and wiped until, after only about thirty seconds, she looked like she hadn't been crying…_

_Chapter 3: Fights, Sleeping on Tables, and Chance Encounters _

Satisfied, she walked down the stairs of her house.

As Lily entered the kitchen, she saw the same thing she did every morning: Carl, her father, was reading the paper, and Judy, her mother, had her day planner out and was examining the day's tasks. Petunia was sitting, crossing out and adding items to some sort of list.

As Lily watched her family go about their daily breakfast tasks, she couldn't help but be taken aback at how worn they all looked.

Carl's once wavy golden hair was now thin and balding, and had turned an unpleasant color as it grayed. His face was severely lined, although he hadn't even reached fifty yet, and permanent bags were under his eyes. He hadn't bothered shaving in a while, although he didn't have enough hair on his chin to constitute a beard. His old glasses were resting on the edge of his nose and his clothes were outdated. He had a coffee stain on his shirt that he didn't even seem to notice, and something that looked like Spaghetti sauce on his jacket.

Judy's change in appearance was even more shocking than her husband's, however, perhaps because the Judy Evans Lily had known as a child was strikingly gorgeous. But her once flowing red hair was now frizzy and streaked severely with grey, pulled back into a loose ponytail and looking as though it hadn't been brushed. Her face wasn't quite as lined as her husbands, but she had the remnants of laugh lines, so faint one could barely see them. Her forehead was creased severely, and she too had dark circles under her eyes. She had a lipstick ring around her lips, but she wore no makeup. And her eyes—her eyes were the most shocking thing of all. Once sparkling emeralds, they were now cloudy and dead-looking, a sickening mint green color, and she looked lost. The woman was still beautiful, but it was a strange kind of beauty—ghostlike, almost. She looked dead.

Petunia, at nineteen, wasn't old or tired looking, but her appearance was worrisome in its own way. Lily had teased Petunia as a child that if she kept up the ridiculously good posture, her neck would stretch itself into something like a Giraffe's. Lily's teasing appeared to have come true; Petunia's neck was unusually long. On it was a delicate string of pearls that matched her outfit: a flowered skirt and salmon pink sweater seat, with off-white heels. The outfit looked like it belonged to a Suburban housewife. Petunia had dressed this way since she was fourteen years old. Lily supposed that it was because Petunia so badly wanted something different, wanted out of the flawed Evans family to create a "perfect" life of her own. Petunia couldn't wait to get married, to run off with someone—it didn't matter who—and make a life that she thought acceptable.

Lily entered the kitchen, and they all kept to their business. Nobody greeted her. Nobody even moved.

She poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat down with her novel. It really was ridiculous, that the family ate together every morning still, after seven years. It had been a tradition in the early days of the family, and nobody had bothered to break it after things had changed. So they sat, not laughing and talking like they used to, but keeping to their individual activities. Nobody ever talked during breakfast. As a matter of fact, nobody ever really talked period, unless it was to say to someone that it was their turn to do the grocery shopping or that they needed to get their clothes out of the drier.

So Lily was downright shocked when her mother put her Day Planner aside halfway through breakfast and cleared her throat.

"Petunia," Judy said warily, looking at her daughter with a blank expression on her face. "You should tell Lily your good news."

Petunia, unsmiling, her lips pursed as always, put her list aside. "Right," she said to her mother. Carl didn't look up from his paper.

"Not that you care, Lily, but Mum thought that you should now that I'm engaged. Vernon and I will wed the 10th of August. You will help with the preparations this summer like a proper sister and will be a bridesmaid in the ceremony."

Lily felt her famous temper creeping up on her. Petunia was getting married? To Vermin? This summer? And all at once, she felt herself exploding, knowing in the back of her mind that she was being stupid and tactless and knowing in the front of her mind that she didn't really care. "Have you forgotten that he tried to hit on me at Christmas, Petunia?" She yelled. " Are you so willing to forgive him for that quite so easily?"

"He denies that he did any such thing, and I believe him. He is my husband."

"Not yet he isn't, and if I have ANYTHING at ALL to say about it, HE NEVER WILL BE! He's rotten, Petunia, can't you see that?"

"Girls, can we just…" Carl muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Then it's a good thing that you don't have a say, because I will marry him. I love him," Petunia claimed, but her eyes betrayed her. She looked unsure of herself for a moment. It triggered something in Lily, that expression of uncertainty. It triggered the intense love that she still had for the sister that despised her. It triggered her sisterly instinct to protect Petunia from pain, and the fire inside of Lily burned ever brighter.

"YOU DON'T LOVE HIM, PETUNIA!" Lily desperately yelled, her eyes wet with tears.

"OH PLEASE, LILY EVANS," Petunia shouted furiously. "LIKE YOU KNOW A _THING_ ABOUT LOVE! WHAT ABOUT THE BLACKED HAIRED BOY ON THE PLATFORM YESTERDAY? I SAW THE WAY YOU LOOKED AT HIM. YOU SO OBVIOUSLY CARE FOR HIM, AND YET YOU TREAT HIM LIKE YOU HATE HIM. DON'T TRY TO LECTURE ME, LILY, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LOVE!"

Lily was shocked into silence. Would Petunia really bring up Severus? That was hitting below the belt, and Petunia knew it. And suddenly, Lily was absolutely, unbelievably furious with her sister.

"Girls, none of us needs this right now. Let's just forget about this," Carl said in a desperate attempt to keep to routine.

"You know what?" Lily began in a furious whisper. And then, so mad she was shaking, she felt the words leave her mouth, but it wasn't like she was really speaking them, rather like she was watching someone else. "You're right, Dad. I don't need this. I don't need to worry all day about Petunia getting caught up in a loveless marriage. I don't need to argue with her about it and make us all miserable. All I need, Petunia, is for you to ask yourself one question. Would Violet—"

In that instant, Judy dropped the plate she was holding. Carl grabbed the table so hard his knuckles were white. Petunia's eyes narrowed dangerously and she walked towards Lily, pointing a shaking finger at her face and speaking in a throaty whisper.

"Never, Lily Evans, as long as I live—Never dare to mention her name in front of me again."

* * *

James and Sirius walked warily downstairs, ravenous as always. One of the things that Sirius loved most about the Potter house was that always, exactly when he woke up, there would be hot food on the table. He didn't know how Mrs. Potter did it, but whether you rose at 6:00 or 1:00 (the latter being the more frequent of the two), she had delicious hot food prepared.

Which is why, when the boys entered a kitchen in which the counters were clean and a frustrated Mrs. Potter was opening and closing empty cabinets, they couldn't quite believe their eyes.

"Mum?" asked a still sleepy James.

"Boys! I'm so glad you're here! I'm having the most difficult time with this pancake recipe…"

James walked forward to help, leaving Sirius standing there, half asleep.

"Mrs. Potter?" he interrupted after a while.

"Yes Dear?"

"Is it alright if I sleep on your table? Just until you and Prongs get this figured out, of course."

"Go ahead, Sweetie."

"Wake me if you need me, Prongsie," Sirius said through a yawn, and he lied atop the table.

James and Adora didn't react to this at all—it was quite normal, to them—and continued to talk of the recipe.

"I can't figure it out, Dear!" said Mrs. Potter, frustrated. "I've been to Muggle houses, you know, and there is always food in their cabinets. And yet these are empty!"

"They buy food at stores, Mum, and fill their cabinets with it. Food stores. Like Honeydukes."

"But however do they get all of that food home if they mustn't use magic?"

"They carry it."

"Oh, I see. Very simple, very simple. I can't believe I'm so foolish. I guess I'm just unaccustomed…well, this is definitely an eye-opening experience, Son! I guess I'll need to make a trip to the grocery store, then."

"Nah, Sirius and I'll go."

Sirius opened one eye to glare at James, looking less-than-happy.

"You can't sleep on that table forever, Padfoot."

"But I _could_ sleep for ten more minutes."

"Yeah well, that's the price you pay for pancakes, Mate. Let's go." He started towards the door.

"Yeah, Pancakes and the possibility of seeing a certain someone," Sirius muttered.

"If I had use of my wand, I would hex you," James called from outside. "As it is, I'll settle for you just getting your lazy butt off that table and to the store.

Sirius groaned and followed.

"Good boy," said Mrs. Potter, sounding as if she was talking to a dog.

* * *

"_Never, Lily Evans, as long as I live—Never dare to mention her name in front of me again."_

Lily stared at Petunia with a murderous glare, refusing to back down, but inside, her heart was beating erratically. It had felt so odd to say her name. Seven years had passed and she had never once uttered it.

Well, that was actually untrue. Lily had whispered it once, when she was thirteen, to herself in the middle of the night. The nightmares had been so horrible that night that she had never done it again.

But to actually say it out loud, in front of her family no less, was downright horrifying. Lily felt oddly restless and frightened. She felt jittery and disoriented, like she couldn't quite comprehend what was going on.

Judy's eyes were now closed, and she had a look of pain on her face so intense it made Lily's chest ache just to look at her. Her father was sitting still as a statue, still clutching the table with white knuckles and staring into space. Petunia turned away from Lily and walked quickly out the back door, slamming it on her way out.

Lily looked at her parents once again, wondering how they would deal with the situation. Lily let the tiniest shred of hope enter her body. They hadn't said the name in seven years; surely, they would be able to at least talk a little about her now? The name was uttered, a small wall was broken. Surely, they would be ready to say at least something that was on their minds for once?

Lily looked at her parents, willing them with her mind, as strongly as she could, to open up a little, finally. She needed to talk to someone. She needed them. Couldn't they see that?

Lily waited in anticipation. Would they finally talk about something together? Would her mother let out a tear, for once? Would her father let an expression, any expression, besides fatigue grace his features?

Or would they do what the Evans always did, and deal with problems by pretending that they didn't exist?

"Lily," Judy said, rubbing her eyes before bending down to pick up the broken dish, "It's your turn to do the grocery shopping."

* * *

Lily pushed the cart through the store's aisles, walking so slowly it was like she was taking a stroll in the park.

She had been there for over half an hour and had barely four things in the cart, but she didn't even notice. She stopped in the middle of the aisle, her thoughts places other than Manchester Drug & Grocery. She wanted so badly to say the name again, to hear the chorus of sound escape her lips.

"Violet," she whispered to herself. Lily closed her eyes and her heart beat erratically. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Normally, Lily would have been mortified to be standing, on the verge of tears, with her eyes closed in the middle of a grocery store, but she was too wrapped up in her thoughts for the moment to care.

She stood there, and all she heard was the sound of her beating heart. Images swam before her closed eyes: a storm cloud, a pool of grey water, a yellow raft, Judy Evans, standing on the beach with tears in her eyes, a redheaded girl—

"Evans?" A voice called from behind her.

Lily jumped about a foot in the air and was broken from her thoughts immediately. She knew that voice. It belonged to Sirius Black. What the hell would Black be doing in a Muggle grocery store in her town? Lily turned and saw him there, grinning in disbelief, a twinkle in his eye.

"Evans! I can't believe you're here! Prongs will wet himself with excitement," Sirius grinned at her happily, apparently oblivious that he had just found her freaking out in the middle of the town grocery store.

"Black?" Lily asked, still disoriented. "What are you doing here?"

Sirius looked down, grinning like a guilty child caught in the act.

"Well, Prongs's Mum asked us to do some grocery shopping, because she and his old man are obsessed now with this program where we live like Muggles and I don't know what else but anyway, idiotic James volunteered us to do the grocery shopping. You know him, always the gentleman."

Lily was about to scoff when all of a sudden, a voice called from the next aisle.

"Padfoot? Where the hell are you? Chasing your tail again? Bloody dog—"

"Prongs, come here! It's Evans!"

All of a sudden, Lily heard running footsteps, and a second later Potter himself appeared, with a delighted smile upon his face.

"Evans!" he exclaimed as he walked to the front of the aisle. He turned and looked at her, absolutely ecstatic at the sight of her.

But when they locked eyes, his face fell, and he looked concerned.

"Can you even believe this, Prongs?" Sirius was rambling. "I mean, I didn't want to do this, I wanted to sleep, but if I actually thought we would see her I wouldn't have complained one bit. I just didn't think there was a chance—"

James's gaze was still fixed on Lily, not on her eyes but on the moisture on her cheeks. She quickly wiped it away.

"Shut up, Padfoot," he said quietly. Sirius looked confused, but James ignored him and walked slowly over to Lily.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, looking truly concerned.

Lily was so taken aback at Potter's behavior that she forgot for a second who she was. She forgot that she hated him, that she should lie to him about what was going on with her, that she shouldn't even be speaking to him.

Slowly, her brow furrowed, she shook her head. No, she was not okay.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Suddenly, she snapped out of it. What the hell was she even doing, anyways?

"With you, Potter? Please. I'd rather have a staring contest with a Basilisk."

And she pushed her cart out of the way, heading straight to the check out even though she wasn't even a fifth of the way down her list. She would have to go again later, but who honestly cared?

She had other things to think about.

Like how, when she left James standing there in the aisle with Sirius, he had actually looked kind of hurt. But more than that.

Beneath the hurt there was concern. Concern for her?

Could it be possible that James was a) actually affected by her routine rejection of him and b) actually concerned for her well being?

And then she remembered school James, James who teased and showed off and made sure that the world always knew how great he was.

And she knew that the answer was no.

Wasn't it?


End file.
